To my parents, Jack and Marilyn

Luke 21:28 “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
People of God, like it or not, we are headed for The Final Countdown. And so the point is this. If you’re here to day as a Christian it’s time to get busy! Stop bickering and start working together, and let’s get busy saving souls! But if you’re here today and you’re not a Christian, then please I beg you, heed the signs, heed the warnings, don’t listen to these guys, they’re hucksters! Listen to Jesus. Give you life to Him now and become a real Christian today because tomorrow may be too late. The prosperity gospel is no gospel at all. And when you see how it not only rips people off of their cash but leads them away from the true Christ and His calling for us, it make you sick, like this guy shares:

“I don’t know what you feel about the prosperity gospel, the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel but I’ll tell you what I feel about it...hatred.

It is not the gospel. It’s being exported from this country to Africa and Asia. Selling a bill of goods to the poorest of the poor.

Believe this message, and your pigs won’t die and your wife won’t have miscarriages and you’ll have rings on your fingers and coats on your back. That’s coming out of America. The people that ought to be giving our money and our time and our lives. Instead, selling a bunch of crud called gospel.

Here’s the reason it is so horrible. When was the last time that any American, African, Asian ever said ‘Jesus is all satisfying because you drove a BMW?’ NEVER. They’ll say, ‘Did Jesus give you that? Well, I’ll take Jesus.’ That’s Idolatry! That’s not the gospel. That’s elevating gifts above the giver.
I’ll tell you what makes Jesus look beautiful. It’s when you smash your car and your little girl goes flying through the windshield and lands dead on the street, and you say through the deepest possible pain. “God is enough. He is good. He will take care of us. He will satisfy us. He will get us through this. He is our treasure. Whom have I in heaven but you? And on earth there is nothing that I desire besides you. My flesh and not my heart and my little girl may fail, but you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

That makes God look glorious. As God not of giver of cars or safety or health. Oh how I pray that America would be purged of the health, wealth and prosperity gospel and that the Christian church would be marked by suffering for Christ.

God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him in the midst of loss not prosperity.”¹⁷

(BREAK: PART 23)

But that’s still not all. The 3^rd reason people in the Church have abandoned the Christian faith, and Apostacized is due to A Flood of Worldly Believers. That’s right folks, I’m talking about the Church Growth Movement. Little do people know that the teachings of the Church Growth Movement have actually aided in this massive rise of apostasy in these Last Days! Today, people in the Church are being led astray by marketing manipulation and secular business techniques instead of following what the Bible says as to how we are to “run the Church.”¹⁸ And it’s given rise this massive influx of worldliness in the Church causing this great Apostasy. But don’t take my word for it. Let’s listen to God’s.

1 Corinthians 1:10-18 “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.)
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Now folks, according to our text, I think it’s pretty clear. The Apostle Paul had to remind the Corinthian Church number one to stop playing favorites in the Church, right? Why? Because it causes divisions! And two he had to remind them to start being united about that which is truly important in life. Yes, every Christian teacher may have a different personality and thus teaching style, but that’s okay, they’re equally valuable. Don’t get hung up on secondary issues! They’re all a gift from God! But when it comes to presenting the Gospel, preaching the Gospel, there’s only one methodology. And notice what that was. It’s the message of the cross, right? Why? Because through the cross of Jesus Christ and that alone men might be saved from utter destruction. That’s where the power of God flows. That’s when lives are changed. That’s when souls are saved from hell. Therefore, that’s what people need to hear, that’s what we need to be about in the Church, that’s what we need to promote, right?

Not anymore! Folks I’m telling you, we have been divided by the Church Growth movement and they have convinced us to no longer do “Church” God’s way anymore. And for those of you who don’t know, the Church Growth Movement is a movement that started in the Church just a few decades ago that says that the best way to run a Church today, is to do it the world’s way, not God’s way. And they say, if you want to be a successful Church you have to use secular business ideals and slick marketing techniques in order to have any kind of Church growth, hence the name, Church Growth Movement. And we are being told that we have to act like the world, be like the world, speak like the world, look like the world, and even do business like the world, just so the world will like us. Why? Because the premise is, if they like us, why, they’ll stick around and your numbers will go right through the roof! And isn’t that what we want?

But people we just saw the Bible says we need to be about the business of preaching Christ and Him crucified so the world can be saved, not made comfortable in the pew! In fact, they may not like us initially because the Bible says the cross is going to be foolishness them at the beginning! But if you keep on preaching it, it has the power of God to save them! So who cares if they don’t like you in the beginning! They’re headed to hell! This is serious business. And I’d rather have somebody hate me and end up in heaven, then have them like me and go to hell, right? And yet, this is exactly what The Church Growth Movement is trying to get us to do! Make lost people feel comfortable in the Church, just to jack up our numbers, and empty the cross of its power by not mentioning it!

And the 1^st way they’re tricking us into doing this is by Focusing on Numerical Growth instead of Spiritual Growth.

Mathew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Now folks, according to our text, this is the classic passage that we like to call the Great Commission, not the Grand Suggestion, or the Great Idea to ponder over a cup of coffee, it’s called The Great Commission. That means it’s an order to be obeyed and notice what that order was. We are to go out into all the world, and make what? Oh, I know! Believers, right? People who make a profession of faith? No! Or, I know. Professional Pew Sitters! Oh, I know! We are to go all in the world and get people to show up Sunday mornings just to jack up our attendance, right? That’s a successful Church, right? Wrong! What did Jesus say? We are go out in the world and make disciples! The word there is “mathetes” and it means, “disciplined learners.” Yes, we are go out and teach people how to get saved but after that, according to Jesus, we are to be about the business of teaching people how to grow up spiritually and obey everything He commanded, right? Spiritual growth comes first!

Not anymore! Haven’t you heard? That’s old-fashioned! We have a whole new focus today! Thanks to the Church Growth Movement we’re now being told we need only be concerned about numerical growth and that at all costs! Who cares about that spiritual growth thing. Forget that! People might leave if you talk about them being a sinner! That’s bad marketing. Come on! Don’t you know how to run a business? Here’s what you do. You entertain them! Don’t worry about that spiritual growth thing. Just entertain them. I mean, everybody loves a good show, right? Just make them feel good, right at home with the world, give them some good old fashioned entertainment and man you’ll have more numbers then you know what to do with! Isn’t that awesome? Isn’t that a successful Church?

Excuse me? My Bible says a “successful Church” is one that preaches Christ and Him crucified and gets busy teaching people how to obey Him, not one that throws out a bunch of syrup so we can attract a bunch of flies! And yet we wonder why there’s so many problems “buzzing” around the Church today? Folks, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “If you have 500 people in your congregation but only 5 of them are saved, what in the world did you just accomplish?” Are you actually trying to encourage people to go to hell?

And for those of you who don’t think the Church would ever fall for this baloney, I’m telling you, it’s not only the “latest craze,” but there’s actually a new term out there to describe this new way to entertain the lost. It’s called “Theotainment”¹⁹ Theos/God. In other words “God entertainment.” And this is what they say we need to do, “If you want massive amounts of people coming to your Church, because remember, numbers are the top priority, you got to given them this “Theotainment.” You have to entertain them with worldy-looking leaders who act like world, speak like world, and even dress like world, so they’ll feel comfortable. Otherwise they might leave and you’re numbers will go down. And so the question is, “What does this new and improved worldly looking Theotainment leadership in the Church look like? Well, thanks for asking. I think it looks like this guy, Ignatius, the new improved Youth Leader.

Ignatius Youth Group Pastor

Becky: My husband and I are taking our first real vacation in 6 years and I’m so excited. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I love the students but sometimes you need a break, you know?  So I’m really excited because Ignatius is going to cover Wednesday nights for me.

Tom: Ignatius is like the biggest name in student ministry. He’s worked with the biggest speakers, biggest worship leaders. He has spoken to like a million kids. He’s like the Michael Phelps of student ministry.

Carl: I’m kind of old fashioned and I don’t know much about him but he knows Becky and he loves Jesus and that’s enough for me.

Ignatius: So people ask me, “Ignatius. What does it take to become a great youth pastor?”  Well, my answers always the same. X-Box 360, a copy of Rock Band, book deal, and uh there’s something else. (Tapping fingers on bible while trying to think of it) umm, yes! A moderately priced haircut. I get my haircut at Tony & Guy, uh $70 bucks-plus highlights.

Our ministry’s called Flame and it’s based on some verse in the Bible about fire. You know we want to see our kids on fire for God. In the middle of this godless culture we want to drive a stake in the heart of it. I mean we want our kids…burning at the stake.

I take my preparation very seriously. I’ll spend 2-3 hours doing something called “Prayer Lattes” Prayer Lattes is when I get on an exercise ball. I have a Latte non-fat. It’s like God’s my trainer and He’s stretching my spiritual muscles as well as my physical muscles.

Who are my influences? Bono, of course. C.S. Lewis’s Chronicle of Narnia films-they were great. First two were killer. I hope he writes another one.”

Kelly to Ignatius: Hi, I’m Kelly. Nice to meet you. This is Carl. He’s on our volunteer staff.

Carl to Ignatius: Hi, Kelly has told us so much about you.

Ignatius: All good I hope.

Kelly: (laughing)

Ignatius: Tell me a little bit about your group.

Carl: Well we had a lock in last weekend and six of our kids made a profession of faith.

Ignatius: Ha, you mean 60…

Kelly: We’re gonna need about 20 minutes before service starts so we can pray.

Ignatius: 20 minutes? Did you think it will take that long?

Kelly: Eh, ha ...uh and you probably want to spend some time with the students.

Ignatius: Why would I wanna to do that?

.........................

Room full of students.  Music starts blaring.

“In the name of love....in the name of love..”

Ignatius comes running into the room:  Woo high five! Who’s your daddy? Huh? Who’s your daddy? Did I hear somebody say Ignatius? Alright!

My name is Ignatius and tonight we’re gonna talk about the God of the Universe and how he loves each and every one of you with an unquenchable fire. But before we do that. Did anyone bring their Bibles tonight?

(students raising their hands)

Ignatius: Alright, get’ em out. Let’s get those bibles out and put them over your head. That’s it. And now repeat after me. Say God’s Word....
 
Students repeat:  God’s Word

Ignatius: Is Living....

And active... It is powerful...It is more...than I can deal with...at this stage...of my life.

Students repeat

Ignatius: Good! Put ‘em under your seat. You’re not gonna need ‘em tonite.

------------------------

Ignatius: I mean to think there are kids that don’t even know about the Flame website is…uh...WOW. Yeah but I want to see them fired up, you know? Engulfed in flames. They’re gonna be smoldering. I’m gonna burn em!”²⁰
Yeah, you’re going to burn them alright, you’re going to burn them into hell! Now folks, I know what you’re thinking…Tony and Guy, right? Actually it’s Samantha at Great Clips and it’s a whole lot cheaper! But no! That’s it! That’s the secret Pastor Billy to Great spiritual Leadership in the Church. This is how you get massive numbers! You got to be like that guy! One who does prayer lattes. And I know what you’re thinking, “I’ve seen you there in your office Pastor Billy with your cow cup going back and forth! But now I get it! That’s the secret, isn’t it? That’s where you get your inspiration!

Folks, let’s be honest. How many of you have ever been to a Church service and that is the kind of leadership that’s in a Church? And I’m not just talking youth Pastor, I’m talking the senior Pastor? And they’re all about the business of what? Desperately trying to look like the world, act like world, speak like world, and even dress like the world, so the world will feel comfortable. Why? Because haven’t you listened to the new gurus of The Church Growth Movement! Forget the Bible! Don’t you know, this is exactly what you have to do to get those numbers because number always comes first!

But people, I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to grow up spiritually I don’t want a Pastor that looks like Bono. I don’t want a Pastor who resembles this world. I want a Pastor that looks like Jesus Christ! I want a Pastor that says like the Apostle Paul, “Follow me as I follow Jesus Christ. Not follow me as I follow the way of this world! I want somebody to pull me out of this wicked world system! Not push me back into it, right? Are you kidding me! And lest you think this is only happening to YOUTH MINISTRIES, you’re wrong! Even ADULT MINISTRIES are choosing worldly entertainment “Theotainment,” over the Word of God, and all for the sake of numbers!

The Drive-Thru Church: Believe it or not there’s new drive thru Church in Davenport Iowa, where services only take about five minutes and you don’t even have to get out of the car. ‘Just pull up in our parking lot,’ the Rev. Rich Hendricks suggests where he promises some humor in the offerings with congregants, for example, will be dressed like anglers in tune with a fish theme. In fact, everyone will be given communion, but this will be specially delivered in a tackle box and a clean bait cup. A station will be set up for an informal church choir, and those interested may exit their vehicles and sing. Participants also will take home a special gift in the form of brightly colored fish key chains or other accessories.
The Clown Communion Church: A sassy little Episcopal Church in New York City now not only has a clown performing communion services, but the congregants are encouraged to dress up as clowns themselves. Looking like refugees from a Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, the Rev. Dr. James Herbert Cooper, encouraged the parish family to come to church “in clown dress, big hats, floppy shoes or some sort of foolish garb.” In fact, he said encouraged those watching on the Internet to also be foolish enough to put on some white face or a big grease-paint smile as we worship God and learn about the structure of the communion by being the circus which came to town and to church on that day. And after the offering was taken for that day the people responded with their noisemakers.
The Porn Movie Church: The People’s Church, formerly known as The First Baptist Church, in Franklin, Tennessee recently achieved national attention by hosting a special event they called “Porn Sunday.” Believe it or not they actually showed an ‘R’ rated film entitled, “Missionary Positions,” to allegedly help those addicted to pornography. In fact, one of the makers of the film said, “We can’t keep up with the amount of requests to do these ‘Porn Sunday’ things, so we’re doing a national ‘Porn Sunday.’ And one Church that hosted the event actually said they had one of the best days ever in Church.²¹
Now folks, I don’t know about you, but some reason I don’t think Jesus came all the way from heaven to die a horrible death on the cross just so we can sit around celebrating Porn Sundays! Hello! Looks to me like we’ve gotten off track somewhere, you know what I’m saying? I mean, it’s almost like we’ve bought into some sort of a lie that’s tricked us to focusing only on numerical growth instead of spiritual growth. And that we have to entertain people instead of sharing the Gospel with them just so they’ll keep coming back. Gee, if only we knew what that lie was. If only we could discover why this has happening to the Church. Oh yeah, that’s right! It’s called the Church Growth Movement! And because of it, we’re seeing a massive increase of worldliness and Apostasy in the Church exactly like the Bible said would happen in the Last Days!

Oh, but that’s not all. The 2^nd way the Church Growth Movement is helping to produce this massive rise of worldliness and Apostasy in the Church is by getting us to Focus on Cultural Music instead of Christ-like Music.

Ephesians 5:17-20 “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Now folks, according to our text, the Bible clearly says that one of the best things you and I could ever do with music is to what? We are to praise God with it, right? In fact, Sebastian Bach said, “The sole purpose of all music is to bring praise to God.” And this why every time we gather together, as the Church, we are to sing songs to God that are God-glorifying, God-honoring, and God-exalting. Why? Because we are so stinking in love with Him, after all He’s done for us, we can’t help but sings songs back to Him, right?

Not anymore! Now first of all, when it comes to music in the Church, we usually seem to get side-tracked with what I believe is the main point of music and we start to debate which is better, hymns or contemporary, like this guy.

“One day this old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended one of those big city churches. And when he came home his wife asked him how it was.

And the farmer said, “Well, it was good. They did something different, though. They sang these praise choruses instead of hymns.”

“Praise choruses?” said his wife. “What are those?”

“Oh, they’re OK. They are sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer.

“Well, what’s the difference?” asked his wife.

The farmer said, “Well, it’s like this - If I were to say to you: “Martha, the cows are in the corn” - well, that would be a hymn. If on the other hand, I were to say to you:

‘Martha, Martha, Martha,

Oh Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,
the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows
the white cows,
the black and white cows,
the COWS, COWS, COWS
are in the corn,
are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,
the CORN, CORN, CORN.’

Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus.”

Well, the next weekend, his nephew, a young new Christian from the city came to visit and he attended the local church of the small town. He went home and his mother asked him how it was.

“Well,” said the young man, “it was good. They did something different though. They sang these hymns instead of our regular songs.”

“Hymns?” asked his mother. “What are those?”

“Oh, they’re OK. They are sort of like our regular songs, only different,” said the young man.

“Well, what’s the difference?” asked his mother.

The young man said, “Well, it’s like this - If I were to say to you: ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn’ - well, that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you:

‘Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to the bright shining day by and by

Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn
Where no vicious animals make my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.’

Then if I were to do only verses one, three and four and do a key change on

the last verse, well that would be a hymn.”²²
Now does that sound familiar or what? The point of Christian music is not one or the other, hymns or contemporary, it’s whatever the style you sing with, according to our text, you what? You sing from your hear to Jesus a love song to Jesus, right? As long as it’s God-glorifying, God-honoring, and mentions the Name of Jesus Christ, who cares if it’s hymns or contemporary, right?